Iranian Fashion Dilemmas

Iran is hosting its first fashion and costume-design festival to promote Islamic styles, both for adults and children.

Male and female models from Iran as well as Turkey, India, and a few other Asian countries are expected to display designer outfits and jewelry during the five-day fashion show that began on December 22.

The foreign models might find it a bit hard to follow Iran's latest fashion rules, which discourage models from "attracting too much attention" during such shows.

Earlier this year, the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry introduced an eight-part "Guideline For Fashion and Dress Shows," which prohibits catwalk models from wearing tight clothes and showing off their curves, and bans makeup.

As for the catwalk or fashion-show runway itself...it has been banned altogether as an unnecessary imitation of Western culture.

-- Farangis Najibullah

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